Port Washington,
N.Y. – The NPD Group has acquired
Solarbuzz, an international solar-energy market research and consulting
company.
, founded in 2001, will operate
in conjunction with The NPD Group Company’s DisplaySearch, the flat-panel
display and electronics market research and consulting company.
The acquisition extends The NPD Group’s global market and supply-chain
research expertise into the solar-energy sector. Solarbuzz will keep its brand
name, and the Solarbuzz team will report to Tim Bush, GM of The NPD Group’s
analyst-based services.
DisplaySearch’s existing solar-energy research reports and
services will be folded into Solarbuzz’s product portfolio. As a result of the
acquisition, clients will be able to leverage more reports, services and
expertise in the solar research market. By operating in partnership with
DisplaySearch, its sister company, Solarbuzz will gain access to an extended
network of sales and research support around the world, especially in Asia.
“We anticipate the solar-energy market will expand rapidly as we
continue to witness increased government and industry efforts focused on
renewable energy,” noted Tod Johnson, chairman/CEO of The NPD Group. “As the
flat-panel display (FPD) supply chain matures and extends its manufacturing
expertise into the solar-energy sector, we see an opportunity to quickly expand
our business in this segment by acquiring Solarbuzz, an established brand in
the solar industry since 2001. The company will complement DisplaySearch’s
supply-chain expertise in the FPD segment.”
Craig Stevens, who will continue to serve as Solarbuzz’s president,
stated, “We share a common vision to provide comprehensive, high-quality solar
market research to our respective client bases. We are delighted to become a
part of The NPD Group family and have taken advantage of our discussions in
recent months to plan further expansions to the existing range of Solarbuzz
reports and consulting services.”
Bush added, “We are thrilled about the acquisition of Solarbuzz
and believe their globally recognized name, commitment to quality research, and
deep roots in the solar industry will greatly enhance our capabilities in the
solar research market. The synergies between both companies are substantial,
and we look forward to blending our combined market research expertise in the
solar and renewable energy sectors.”
